Spinning toy launcher



Nov. 8, 1966 A. GOULD SPINNING TOY LAUNCHER Filed June 12, 1964 FlG.6

I Y M 5 mm M. 3 O R 1;. m w 11k AIM M United States Patent 3,283,442SIINNING TOY LAUNCHER Albert Gould, 14 Shady Brook Road, Great Neck,N.Y. Filed June 12, 1964, Ser. No. 374,716 7 Claims. (Cl. 46-72) Thepresent invention relates to spinning toys and their launchers.

These toys may be classed as tops for spinning on the ground or they maybe of the propeller-type which twirl and soar in the air. These toysinclude a central downward shank on which a free cord is wound. Then thetoy is set with its laden shank entered into the upper end of avertically-held tubular member; said end having a downward notch. Thefree end portion of the cord is positioned through said notch andallowed to hang down outside the tube. Now the cord is pulled until itis separated from the toy to which it has imparted a rapid rotarymovement. If it is a top, it will rise out of the launching tube, dropto the ground and spin. If the toy is of the propeller-type, it willsoar into the air and twirl.

It would be simple and economical to make these toys and their launchersin particular out of plastic. But in pulling the cord, which must be ata rapid rate to be effective, launchers made of plastic become uselessafter only five or six'employments thereof, because the cord either cutsa slit in the tube along its length or slits said launching tubecircumferentially, when it is of plastic.

It is therefore the principal object of this invention to provide anovel and improved plastic launching tube provided with means which willprevent the cord from cutting into it.

Regardless of what material the launching tube was made of heretofore,the hand that held it many a time had a finger cut into by the rapidlymoving taut cord during the launching operation.

It is therefore another object of this invention to provide a novel andimproved launching device of the kind set forth, in which the handholding it is protected from being harmed by the cord.

A further object of this invention is to provide for the mattersdiscussed, by oilering novel and improved constructions which are simpleto manufacture, reasonable in cost and eflicient in carrying out thepurposes for which they are designed.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosureproceeds.

For one practice of this invention, a channel is provided in and alongthe entire wall of the notch in the launching tube. A rounded bottom,V-shaped piece of metal wire is forced into said channel. The crosssection of said piece of wire is of a dimension that it extends intosaid notch and offers a notch for the cord to pass through which issomewhat smaller than the notch which it lines. To protect the handholding the launcher, the notched tubular component, at top end, has anoutward flange to support the toy and a protective skirt around thetubular component to serve as a handle. Said flange has a radial openingexposing said notch and the skirt has a heightwise opening, connectingwith the opening in the flange so that a cord positioned through saidnotch could be passed through both said openings. To lift a spinningtop, a permanent magnet piece is carried at the free end of the cord. Tolift the spinning top, the cord is held so that said magnet is suspendedtherefrom.

The V-shaped wire liners may be associated as a slug of staples to beejected by a suitable staple tacker device one at a time directly intosaid channels respectively. This materially affords a very cheap andeasy manner of mounting them in the mass production of said launchers.

3,283,442 Eatented Nov. 8, 1966 lCQ In the accompanying drawing formingpart of this specification, similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the views.

FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of a top and its launcher. This launcherembodies the teachings of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view showing a propeller toy for which saidlauncher can be used.

FIG. .3 is an enlarged perspective view of the launcher, shown partly insection. The V-piece of wire is not shown herein, hence the channelalong the notch is discernable.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary front view of FIG. 3, showing the wirepiece in place.

FIG. 5 is a section taken at line 55 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a section taken at line 6-6 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a pictorial view showing the top of FIG. 1, spinning whilesuspended.

FIG. 8 is a front view of a staple tacker adapted for applying theV-shaped wire pieces into the channels provided in the launchers.

In the drawing, the numeral 15 designates generally a launcher for a topindicated generally as 16 or the propeller toy denoted generally as 17.Each of these toys has a downwardly extending shank on which a free cord18 is tightly wound, leaving a portion of the cord to hang. For the top,if desired, the hanging cord end may carry a permanent magnet piece 19.In each instance, the laden shank 20 or 21, as the case may be, is setinto the upper end of a tubular member 22; said upward end of thetubular member having a downward notch 23. As is well known, the freeend portion of the cord 18 is set from within said tube to extendthrough said notch and thence hang downwardly outside said tube. Thefree end of the cord is then quickly pulled with one hand, while saidtube 22 is held in the other, whereupon a rapid rotary motion isimparted to the toy. The top 16 will rise out of the launcher 15, fallto the ground and spin on its lower peg 24. In the case of the propeller17, it will soar and twirl. In the embodiments shown, the toys and theirlauncher are made of plastic. So on the top toy 16, the pointed peg 24is of iron to stand the wear and an iron pointed peg 25 is provided atthe upper end of the top body; said pegs of course, being along the topsaxis. When the top is spinning on the ground, the magnet 19 may besuspended to attract the peg 25. This permits the spinning top 16 to belifted 0d the ground and suspended from the said magnet. It willcontinue to spin as shown in FIG. 7; the top being hollow.

The upper end of the tubular member 22 is provided with an outer flange26 from which an apron 27 depends in concentric relation with said tube.However, said flange has a radial opening 28 exposing the notch 23 andsaid apron is open heightwise at 29, to expose the heightwise lane ofsaid notch. Said apron 27 serves as a handle and keeps the fingers awayfrom the rapidly pulled string or cord 18 when a toy is actuated on thelauncher 15. The outer face 26 of the flange may be concave to bettersupport the toy resting thereon while being launched.

A feature of this invention is to provide means whereby the cord 18 willnot cut into the tubular member 22, during the launching operation. Toaccomplish this, the entire surface of the wall of the notch 23 is edgedwith a V- shaped piece of metal, so the cord portion being unwound doesnot touch the launcher body proper which is of plastic. To mount a metaledging to line the notch wall, has heretofore been easier said thandone. I have tried many ways and find that the tools necessary to formthe metal piece andto securely mount it, required costly dies andassembly jigs, which made them prohibitive. Finally, I have devised theconstruction herein illustrated which consists of forming the wall ofthe notch 23 with a channel or groove 30 of a depth equal to less thanthe diameter and at least the radius of the stiff iron or other metalwire which I form into a V-shape 31 and force-fit into said groove; thewidth of said groove being a bit less than the diameter of said wirepiece to afford such force-fit and of coursethe plastic of which thelauncher is made has some resiliency and tightly holds such insertedpiece.

The wall of the tube 22 has a thickened region which is an outer pad 32,in which the notch is, so as to give ample material to have the requiredseating for the metal piece 31. At the bight of said notch 23, the pad32 is cut to make the channel 33 to expose the bight 31 of the metalpiece 31 and offer a clearance for the pulled cord 18 when drawnstraight downward along said tube. In such instance, the bight 31' willkeep the cord away from said tube. Such cut 33 in the pad is straightdownward.

Of importance to note is that with an ordinary staple tacker 34,reconstructed to take a slug 35 comprising a multiplicity of V-pieces 31in upright position and adapted to eject one of said pieces as invertedstaples into the grooves 30 of launchers being manufactured, I have aninexpensive tool and an easy way to mount said pieces 31. It will beeasily understood by those versed in the art that the tacker is properlyfixed above a locating means to hold a launcher 15, so the piece 31being ejected will enter the groove 30.

The launcher body is preferably a one-piece item molded of polystyreneor any other suitable plastic.

The terms spinning and twirling as used herein shall be deemedsynonomous.

This invention is capable of numerous forms and various applicationswithout departing from the essential features herein disclosed. It istherefore intended and desired that the embodiment shown herein shall bedeemed illustrative and not restrictive and that the patent shall coverall patentable novelty herein set forth; reference being had to thefollowing claims rather than to the specific showing and descriptionherein, to indicate the scope of this invention.

I claim:

1. For a spinning toy having a central downward shank for a free cord tobe tightly wound on and then rapidly pulled oif to impart rotary motionto said toy, a launcher comprising an upright plastic tubular memberhaving a downwardly extending upright V-shaped notch in the top end ofits wall and a V-shaped metal piece on and along the surface of saidnotch, securely held on said member; said tubular member being adaptedto receive the laden shank.

2.- For a spinning toy having a central downward shank for a free cordto be tightly wound on and then rapidly pulled off to impart rotarymotion to said toy, a launcher comprising an upright plastic tubularmember having a downwardly extending upright V-shaped notch in the topend of its wall; said notch having a groove in and along its surface anda V-shaped metal piece along and securely held in said groove; saidtubular member being adapted to receive the laden shank.

3. The article as defined in claim 2, wherein said metal piece extendsinto said notch whereby the size of the notch is diminished.

, 4. The article as defined in claim 2, wherein the metal piece isfrictionally held in said groove.

"'5. The article as defined in claim 2, including a pad along each sideof the notch, on the front surface of said tubular member and integralwith said member; said pads being spaced whereby a downward channel isformed on said member immediately below the bight of said metal piece.

6. For a spinning toy having a central downward shank for a free cord tobe tightly wound on and then rapidly pulled off to impart rotary motionto said toy, a launcher comprising an upright plastic tubular memberhaving an outward flange at its top end and an apron extendingdownwardly from said flange;both said flange and apron being split in acommon plane whereby said flange and apron each has an opening; saidtubular member having a downwardly extending upright V-shaped notch inthe top end of its wall; said openings exposing said notch and thatportion of said tubular member which is below said notch and a V-shapedmetal piece on and along the surface of i said notch, securely held onsaid member; said member being adapted to receive the laden shank.

7. An article as defined in claim 6, wherein the tubular member, itsflange and the apron are integral.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS- 347,032 8/1886Gold 46--72 1,411,974 4/1922 Mann 46242 1,633,486 6/1927 Lunz 4672FOREIGN PATENTS 230,722 4/1944 Switzerland.

DELBERT B. LOWE, Primary Examiner.

R. F. CUTTING, Assistant Examiner.

1. FOR A SPINNING TOY HAVING A CENTRAL DOWNWARD SHANK FOR A FREE CORD TOBE TIGHTLY WOUND ON AND THEN RAPIDLY PULLED OFF TO IMPART ROTARY MOTIONTO SAID TOY, A LAUNCHER COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT PLASTIC TUBULAR MEMBERHAVING A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING UPRIGHT V-SHAPED NOTCH IN THE TOP END OFITS WALL AND A V-SHAPED METAL PIECE ON AND ALONG THE SURFACE OF SAIDNOTCH, SECURELY HELD ON SAID MEMBER; SAID TUBULAR MEMBER BEING ADAPTEDTO RECEIVE THE LADEN SHANK.